Tools for Monday: Something More Important for Fall than Pumpkin Spice Latte
Autumn is approaching. Maybe. At least our scientific climatological calendar suggests that fall is in the air. The autumnal equinox for this year is set for 1:50am (Austin time) on September 23. Perhaps this means that the sun will get off our backs for at least a little while. Of course, around here we deem any temperature under 100 degrees a reason to order a pumpkin spice latte.
Centuries ago, our brothers and sisters in Christ kept track of seasonal changes in a more nuanced way than celebrating menu changes at their local Starbucks. In fact, our forerunners seemed to observe life’s natural rhythms with much prayer and thanksgiving. Consider how Jesus often got away to pray, sometimes all night. He was even criticized by some of his friends because he lived on an entirely different schedule than the common, efficient Roman of his era.
Consider also how the First Century Christians in Jerusalem gathered at set hours daily for worship and prayer. Paul encouraged them to forsake their culturally engrained habits of drinking to excess throughout the day and rather, “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father” (Ephesians 5:20, RSV). From its outset, Christianity clearly was not meant to be practiced merely once a week in a building for an hour so we can get on with our lives. Christianity is a life.
By the Second Century, praying and worshipping at set times became more formalized in the church. Christians were greatly encouraged to pray specifically at 9am, Noon, and 3pm. If we fast forward through Christian history, we find that this emphasis remained relatively intact even up to today. In fact, many still depend in large part on the teachings of Benedictine monks who began to pray “the offices.” The term “office,” does not refer to a cubicle or place where work is accomplished. It means something more akin to “service for the Lord,” or “offering.” After the Protestant Reformation, our Anglican brothers and sisters have become particularly adept at praying the offices and designing (and redesigning) helpful guides for Christians to pray along with normal pattern changes in daily life.
Baptists, by and large, have looked somewhat skeptically upon the daily offices, as such a practice could tend to stifle the priesthood of every believer. We also recognize the inherent danger in institutionalizing set times of prayer. It could to legalism or competition about who is “the best prayer warrior.” This skepticism, however, does not mean that the discipline of praying at set times is unimportant or unhelpful. It is, indeed, biblical! We can learn much from our brothers and sisters in other denominations who have been praying the offices for centuries now.
In fact, the changing of the seasons may be an ideal time for us to develop the discipline of praying and reading the Scriptures at set times throughout the day. It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. For instance, set your alarm for 9am, Noon, and 3pm (or any other time convenient for your schedule), and then read and Psalm or a passage of one of the Gospels. Take a few minutes to contemplate what God is saying to you in the Bible. Offer up prayers and praise for the day. Notice particularly how God’s Spirit is leading you to meet the challenges of the day.
There are also many resources that could be helpful in praying the offices. One that I’ve found particularly helpful is called The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle. It is a large book to be used more as a resource for ideas than as a hard and fast manual for strict adherence. The YouVersion Bible app is also a very handy tool with a large variety or prayer and Bible reading plans. It can be easily downloaded on your phone through your preferred app store.
Now that the temperature is finally inching downward, perhaps it’s a great time for our souls to reach heavenward.